A Dutch court ordered a retrial Friday for anti-Islam lawmaker Geert Wilders, sending the closely-watched hate speech case back to square one before a whole new panel of judges.

The far-right politician faces charges of inciting hatred against Muslims for many remarks, including some equating Islam with fascism and violence and others calling for a ban on the Quran and a tax on Muslim headscarves.

Wilders accused judges at the Amsterdam District Court of bias and called for their dismissal after they refused to recall a defense witness who wrote on a weblog that a member of an appeals panel directly involved in the case had improperly contacted him.

A hastily convened substitute panel ruled Friday that Wilders' objections were valid, which means the trial that began in January must restart from the beginning with new judges.

Wilders welcomed the decision.

"This gives me a new chance on a new fair trial," he said in an e-mail to The Associated Press. "I am confident that I can only be acquitted because I have broken no law but spoke the truth and nothing but the truth and exercised my freedom of speech in an important public debate about the dangerous totalitarian ideology called Islam."

Judge G. Marcus said the panel understood Wilders' "fear that the court's decision displays a degree of bias ... and under those circumstances accepts the appeal."

Since the charges were filed, Wilders' party has become part of the Netherland's ruling conservative government, making him one of the most powerful politicians in the nation.

Wilders' case pits his right to freedom of speech against the right of Muslims to worship freely. Dozens of complaints had been filed against Wilders by Muslims who said they felt insulted or threatened by remarks such as "let not one more Muslim immigrate"

"A judge that's part of my process in the sense that he decided I should be prosecuted ... without blinking an eye goes to dinner and tries to convince a witness that he's right," Wilders told a new panel of judges convened to rule on the dismissal. "I wonder which circus I've landed in here."

Well if he really is one of the most powerful politicians in his country why not get rid of these silly hate speech laws? Problem solved and they can then have real freedom of speech instead of what they have now.

“Wilders’ case pits his right to freedom of speech against the right of Muslims to worship freely.”

A lie! Shame on Toby Sterling, who wrote this falsehood.

Wilders has used quotes from Muslims themselves, who unwittingly blather about dominating everyone else and killing whoever they choose to kill. If you’re using someone’s own words, that is neither hate speech nor denying them the right to worship freely.

Liberals are willing to do just about anything to silence the free speech of conservatives. I think it’s disgusting the way they suck up to people who have no respect for anything liberals claim to believe in. That makes liberals shallow, morally bankrupt, untrustworthy and unfit to lead any country.

5
posted on 10/22/2010 3:41:04 PM PDT
by peeps36
(America is being destroyed by filthy traitors in the political establishment)

The whole previous panel of judges was dismissed for collusion with a witness.

The new judges will start over from the beginning but as the Prosecutor says she does not have a case she has also asked for it to be dismissed - the whole thing is a silly circus and I hope the new panel of so called judges dismiss the case.

Wilders has used quotes from Muslims themselves, who unwittingly blather about dominating everyone else and killing whoever they choose to kill. If youre using someones own words, that is neither hate speech nor denying them the right to worship freely.

If its hate speech for him to quote them, its hate speech for them to say it in the first place.

Wilders accused judges at the Amsterdam District Court of bias and called for their dismissal after they refused to recall a defense witness who wrote on a weblog that a member of an appeals panel directly involved in the case had improperly contacted him.

A hastily convened substitute panel ruled Friday that Wilders’ objections were valid, which means the trial that began in January must restart from the beginning with new judges.

Wilders welcomed the decision.

“This gives me a new chance on a new fair trial,” he said in an e-mail to The Associated Press. “I am confident that I can only be acquitted because I have broken no law but spoke the truth and nothing but the truth and exercised my freedom of speech in an important public debate about the dangerous totalitarian ideology called Islam.”

Thank you for the clarification, I was under the impression that the Liberal/Muslims ( yes, that is what I am calling any Liberal now, a Muslim )where going to get the outcome that they want no matter what.

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